A Christmas Surprise
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: It's Christmastime, and neither Daphne nor Harry are happy about it.


**Title: **A Christmas Surprise

**Rating:** T

**Pairing(s): **Established Harry/Daphne

**Warnings: **None

**Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.

**Word Count: **1,434

**Summary: **It's Christmastime, and neither Daphne nor Harry are happy about it.

**Notes:**

**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season 2, Finals Round 1:** Captain of Kenmare Kestrals – One of your characters must say, word for word, "Are you sure about that? Really sure? As in..._sure _sure_?"_

** OTP Arena Competition: **Daphne/Harry

**Pairing God Challenge:** Daphne/Harry

**Countdown to Christmas Drabble/One-Shot Competition: **Preliminary Round

**Het Pairing Boot Camp: **Prompt Used – frame

**Taming the muse:** Prompt Used – Elevate

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** Speed drabble thread – Prompts Used – back, cringe, spam, ham, pat, hold, fill, pail

**All Those Characters Challenge: **Challenge – Daphne Greengrass

**Represent the Character Competition II**

**Anything You Can Competition**

**Beta: **teddylupin-snape

**Feedback: **Yes

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about that? Really sure? As in... <em>sure<em> sure?" Daphne asks, dread in her voice.

Harry cringes, hating the despair that fills her voice. He looks into his wife's beautiful eyes, her curly blonde hair perfectly framing her face. "Well, I talked to Maxwell and Sophia. Neither of them seems particularly inclined to come home for Christmas."

"It's the first time they'd miss the holidays, though. Even while at Hogwarts, both of them came home for Christmas. Why wouldn't they want to now?"

Harry pulls Daphne into his arms, holding her securely against his body. "They have their own families now(,) and they want to have their own family traditions."

"And their family traditions don't include their mother and father?" Daphne asks wryly.

Harry kisses her shoulder and gently pats her on the small of her back, providing as much comfort as he can. "I guess not." He's been trying to put on a brave face for his wife, knowing how terrible she felt. He isn't happy with the turn of events either, though. Daphne needs him to be strong and be strong he will be.

The next day is quiet. Harry has set some food on a plate for himself, but he doesn't take a bite. Instead, he watches Daphne elevate a picture. He shakes his head. He knows she's trying to keep herself busy to avoid thinking about their son, daughter, and grandchildren. He wonders if it's working.

His eyes follow her as she goes to a pail with an intricate cover. She takes out pictures and his mind flashes back to when they received it. It was at the birth of their first child, Maxwell. Daphne had given birth only about an hour earlier and they were already flooded with friends and families who wanted to see the newest member of the Potter family.

Daphne's parents gifted them with a pail. Her parents were given a similar one the day Daphne had been born, and Daphne's grandmother had been given one when Daphne's uncle had been born. It ended up becoming a family tradition, a beautifully decorated pail to store a family's most prized photographs, given when a family's first child was born. They gave one each to Maxwell and Sophia when they became parents, too.

Harry goes and sits on the couch with his wife, leaving his food behind. Together, they look through the pictures. All of them were from after Maxwell was born. There were pictures of Maxwell at a nearby park, pictures of him eating, his birthday parties, and then pictures of Sophia on the day she was born. Then there were pictures of Sophia eating, her birthday parties, and pictures of Maxwell and Sophia playing together or playing with friends. Sometimes, Harry or Daphne was in them, but the majority of them showed the kids alone or with their family and friends.

It didn't feel like it was that long ago, but now their children had children of their own and didn't even want to spend Christmas Day with them.

It hurts doubly because Christmas Eve is also their wedding anniversary. It's going to be their 30th anniversary, and they won't be able to celebrate it with their family on Christmas Day like they always have in the past.

"They were so beautiful," Daphne says.

Harry doesn't say anything, only nods in recollection. They're quiet for the rest of the day, both lost in thoughts of what used to be.

They make love that night, but it's gentle and careful, nothing of their usual passion is in their touches, but neither of them mind it. Their coupling that night is more about comfort and care, not wanton desire.

Before Harry collapses next to Daphne, he presses a soft kiss on her collarbone, whispering "I love you," against her skin.

Harry wakes up first the next day, but he doesn't move from the bed. There's no reason to. They have no one waiting on them to open presents or eat breakfast. It's just Daphne and him this year.

When Daphne wakes up, she puts on a white dressing gown while he puts on a comfortable pair of trousers and a shirt. He takes her hand and leads her out of the bedroom. When they step into the living room, on their route to the kitchen so Harry can make them breakfast and Daphne can get some juice, they are waylaid by shouts of "Surprise!"

Harry blinks, but Daphne has no such qualms. "Max! Soph!" she cries joyously, running to their grown children, arms open wide for hugs.

"Mum!" Sophia laughs, returning the enthusiastic hug while Max rubs her back comfortably.

Maxwell looks over at Harry over Daphne's shoulder. "Surprised, Dad?"

Harry looks around at everyone gathered. The Weasleys are here. So are Daphne's parents, sister, Draco, and Scorpius. There are also various school friends, including Daphne's best friend Tracy and her family, the original D.A. and Harry's original Gryffindor Quidditch team. And he can't forget his children and their respective families. All Harry can do is dumbly nod, his astonishment too great to actually form words.

Sophia laughs and comes over and hugs Harry. "We did our job then."

"We just figured that 30 years is a big year, especially since Mum has been married to you. She needs to be commended for that."

Harry glares at his son when Sophia giggles into his shoulder. He looks over at Daphne, who has scooped up Maxwell's five-year old twin girls, Ashley and Faith, while Sophia's two-year old boy, as Nikolas clings to Daphne's leg. She has such a happy expression on her face, a drastic change from what had been on her face yesterday.

"Dad, did you and Mum really think we wouldn't want to celebrate Christmas with you?"

"Actually, yeah."

"If you taught us anything, it's the value of family. You should have known better than that."

"Soph is right," Maxwell says.

"Sorry your mother and I doubted you two, but when you tell someone you don't want to spend the holidays with them, they tend to take it seriously, especially two days before the holidays."

"Oh well, you're forgiven," Maxwell cheekily says.

The rest of the day is a combined Christmas/Anniversary party. There's a lot of food, including the traditional Christmas ham for a late lunch.

Although Harry spends a lot of time with the Weasleys and some of his oldest friends while Daphne goes to her family and friends, they always seem to gravitate towards their children and grandchildren.

They open presents after lunch, much to the pouting of all of the kids there who wanted to do presents immediately.

"It will be good for them to wait. It will help teach them about self-control," Maxwell says when Harry wants to give into Nikolas's puppy dog eyes.

There are a lot of laughs and dancing. Harry dances with his granddaughters while Daphne scoops up Nikolas and sways with him in her arms, lulling him into a nap. Daphne then takes him up to the bedroom they keep here for the kids. Ashley and Faith go with her, both tired from the day's activities.

When Daphne comes back downstairs, the party starts to wind down.

Maxwell and Sophia corner them by the island in the kitchen.

"We wanted to give you this," Sophia says.

"Happy 30th Anniversary," Maxwell adds.

Harry takes it and unwraps the flat present. It's a picture in a beautifully crafted frame. It's of Harry, Daphne, Maxwell, Gloria, Sophia, Oscar, Ashley, Faith, and Nikolas. It's a picture of last Christmas. Harry remembers when it was taken by their one House Elf.

Daphne takes hold of it, tears falling from her eyes. "It's beautiful," she breathes.

"Merry Christmas, Dad, Mum," Maxwell and Sophia says simultaneously.

Harry drags them into hugs and Daphne follows.

When they pull back, Sophia smiles. "We thought the kids could spend the night here so you can have some quality time with them.

"That'll be great," Harry says.

Maxwell, Gloria, Sophia, and Oscar stay for a while longer, but they eventually leave, stating they needed to visit the other set of parents.

When the last of their guests leave, Harry goes upstairs and checks on the kids. They're all still napping.

As he meets his wife on the couch and kisses her lips, he thinks about what a wonderful day it had been. Harry had been sure that the whole day would be depressing, but his kids showed that not all of his all important lessons had been taken for granted. After all, nothing is more important than family.


End file.
